Helping the Hopeless
by SoraGirl
Summary: Ron, looking to buy a Christmas present for Hermione, enlists the help of Fred and George, and gets a more then he bargained for. RHr. Please R&R! :D


Disclaimer: I'm typing this on Windows 97…do you think I own Harry Potter? ;P

**Helping the Hopeless**

The gangly wizard did all he could to make his appearance inconspicuous as he walked down Diagon Alley towards a distance shop. Unlike the other casual shoppers there, he was on a mission. He had no time for idle gazing or window shopping, nor had he the money for it. He had come here for one reason and one reason only. That reason was Hermione Granger.

He knew perfectly well what she would think about him sneaking out on a school night to get her a present, but this time, he didn't really care. His feelings for her had grown so much that he could scarcely think of _anything_ else. If he didn't do something about it soon, he feared he would go _completely_ insane. So he had come here, in hopes of borrowing cash, so he could finally buy her a Christmas present that showed her how much he really cared.

He walked into the shop and took a moment to shake the snow from his robe. It took only that long for the owners to spot him.

"Ronald!" Fred exclaimed from behind the counter. "What are you doing here? And on a school day no less!"

"Happy Christmas Fred," Ron nodded solemnly as he slipped off his over-robe. "You too, George."

"I don't think you answered my question, little brother," Fred pointed out, "Are you really so desperate for our _fine_ wizarding products that you had to skip school for them?"

"How'd you manage to get here anyway?" George added suspiciously. Just then, his eyes lit up. "You didn't apparate did you?!"

Ron gave a little sigh. "Not only do I not _have _my apparation license, but you _can't_ apparate on school grounds." He paused for a second, coming to the grim realization that he had sounded _just_ like Hermione. His ears grew a shade pinker as he continued. "I used floo powder, nicked a little from Snape. And anyway I'm not here for your 'fine wizarding products', I'm here to ask you a favor."

Fred and George glanced at each other and gave a little nod. George spoke up. "Well, seeing as you did as well as to nick something from Snape ("following in our footsteps, he is!" Fred interjected), we'll consider it. Now, what is it you need?"

"Money," Ron said bluntly. "I need to borrow some money. Just a few Galleons is all, and I'll pay you back soon as I can."

"Well, what for?"

Ron's ears instantly turned red. "No-Nothing, just Christmas presents, you know, for the family."

From somewhere deep in the back of the shop, a woman let out a bloodcurdling scream. "**_LIAR_**! FLITHY LIAR! SCUM! DIRTBAG! ROT IN THE PITS OF HADES! IT'S LIES!! CAN'T YOU SEE?! IT'S ALL LIES!!!"

George grinned at his youngest brother's shocked expression as the woman continued to roar. "Our own little version of the sneakoscope. Like it? We modeled the voice after our dear _sweet_ Mum."

"Still got some bugs in it," Fred admitted. "Can't usually catch the good liars. Hasn't went off on George and I a single time. But then, _you_ never were the greatest with lies. So come on, fess up, what's the _real_ reason you need the money?"

Ron thought about his options, tell the truth or have that wretched contraption go off on him again. "It's…" he blushed, melting under his brothers' intense stares. "It's for a girl."

All three waited for the sneakascopes reaction and all three were pleased when it went silent. Ron breathed a sigh of relief. He was safe, for now.

"Alright then," George said, "It's for a girl. What girl would this be?"

Ron was bright red once again. He had _no_ intentions of telling his two brothers that the girl he was going through all this trouble for was actually Hermione. "Look, why does it matter what girl it is? I'll pay you back, alright?"

"Ronald, you _lied_ to us! How are we supposed to trust you with our _honestly_ earned cash?" Fred said, trying to look very disappointed. "Besides, we need to know just what we're investing in. At least tell us what you're planning to get this mysterious 'girl' of yours."

"Well," Ron thought aloud. "I'm not really sure. I thought maybe a book…or a nice quill set or something…"

Fred threw his hands up with a look of utter disgust. George patted him sympathetically on the back, shaking his head in shame. "It's all right Fred; it's all right. He doesn't know any better."

"Ron, tell me, do you want this girl to like you?" George asked, though the idea of calling her 'girl' was getting a touch annoying as it became clearer and clearer _exactly_ which 'girl' Ron meant.

"Well, I, uh, um….yeah…" the admission caused him to blush furiously.

"Well then you _don't_ get her a quill set! You big git! You get her something _nice,_ something _girly_," Fred explained in exasperation.

"Like what?" Ron asked, angry that his idea had so quickly been put down.

"Well, what's she like, this girl of yours? Is she smart? Pretty? Funny?"

Ron thought about this for a moment. "She's smart, brilliant really, probably the most intelligent person I've ever met. Real pretty too, but not in like, a veela kind of way, it's her own way. In fact, she's prettiest when she's not even trying to be, like when she yells at me for something, and her face goes all red and her hair gets all wonky-like. It's that way with her sense of humor too, she's the funniest when she's trying to be the serious. She's really…she's…something else. Something…special."

Fred and George tried their hardest not to break into hysterics at their brother's vague expression. George, only slightly confident that he could speak without laughing, talked first. "Alright, tell you what, take this piece of parchment," he quickly scribbled down a few words, folded it up, and handed it to Ron. "Go down a few blocks down, turn right, you'll come to a big pinkish looking building with 'Ellie's 'Girlfriend Gifts'-"

"She's not my girlfriend!" Ron asserted angrily.

"Not _yet_ anyway, but that's what we're aiming for," George grinned, "Anyway, go into Ellie's shop and give her that piece of paper. When you've picked something out, come back here so we can make sure you're not making a fool out of yourself, alright?"

Ron nodded. "Alright." He shrugged his cloak back on and went to open the door.

"And Ron!" Fred yelled after him desperately. "_No_ quill sets!"

Ron felt rather awkward as he walked into the quant pink shop. The air inside was thick with the smell of perfumes, flowers, and potpourri. So much so that Ron had a good three minute coughing fit before he could even reach the register.

"Here…brothers…said…give…this…to you…" he managed to spit out between coughs. The tall women with bright blonde hair (though she had obviously been a brunette at one point) tapped her acrylic pink fingers on the counter while reading.

"A Weasley!" she exclaimed as soon as she finished. "With hair like that, I should have known! Your brothers have sent you to the right place! Come on sweetie, I'll set you up!"

A half an hour later, Ron emerged from the shop, small parcel in hand and feeling quite successfully. As promised, he headed back to the shop to show off his new gift.

"Find something?" Fred asked as he wrapped up a rather large package and handed it to a waiting costumer.

"Did I ever! And what's more, Ellie sold it to me for only two Galleons!" Ron said, rummaging threw his pockets for his gift. "What did you put in that note?"

George grinned. "Nothing really, we've just got a lot of pull around here. Mixed up Ellie a little something to jinx her ex-boyfriend. She probably figured she owed it to us."

"What did you jinx him with?" Ron asked curiously.

The twins smirked. "Nothing for innocent ears like yours to hear. Come on now; show us what you got her."

Now it was Ron's turn to grin. He unfolded the small cloth he was holding and pulled out a brightly shining necklace. The small glass charm on it obviously held some kind of magic, which shown brightly as it shifted and jumped around inside its container. It seemed to be all colors at once and yet, brilliantly, purely white. It was perhaps one the prettiest things the twins had ever seen. "It's a star," Ron told the stunned spectators. "This one's called Zavijah, from the Virgo constellation, suppose to mean 'brilliance.' Picked it out myself. Think she'll like it?"

Fred and George were silent for a second, before breaking down in fake tears. "Our little Ronniekins is all grown up and buying presents for _girls_! Presents that aren't quill sets!"

Ron rolled his eyes. "Am I free to go then?"

"Sure thing," Fred said, smirking. "Just give Hermione our best."

"I-it-" Ron started, but George was quick to jump in.

"And _don't_ say it isn't Hermione, no use setting off the sneakoscope again."

Ron blushed furiously, "Well it's _not_!"

"LIEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!! YOU THINK YOU CAN TRICK **_ME_**?! YOU LIIIIIEEEE!!! HORRIBLE UNTRUTHS! HEARTLESS PROPAGANDA!!! I SEE PAST YOUR FLITTHHY ATT-"

"STOP THAT ALREADY!" Ron yelled at last, covering his ears. "It's Hermione, okay! It's Hermione!" The sneakoscope was silent once again.

Ron looked humiliated while the two twins broke into laughter. "How did you even know?"

"How did we know?" George snorted. "Because it's been _bloody_ obvious since second year, _Ronald_!"

Fred nodded. "She really is right to have called you a git all those times."

Ron frowned grumpily. "Bloody useless brothers you two are! Wouldn't have hurt to tell _me_ that!"

George shrugged. "It's the kind of thing you've got to find out on your own, mate."

"Yeah, well, I best be going anyway, it's getting late…thanks," Ron said genuinely.

"Anytime, Young Roneo. The waters of love are often too stormy to navigate on one's own," George told him, tossing his hand back on his head with extreme melodrama.

Ron rolled his eyes, opening the door.

"Good luck with your lady friend, Ron!" Fred yelled as the door shut. He gave his twin a small smile. "He'll need it."

Hermione was, needless to say, furious when Ron appeared in the Gryffindor fireplace that evening. "And you told us you'd be _studying_! _Really_ Ron! Floo powder is dangerous enough as it is, but to use it without even _telling _someone!? You could have gotten lost or hurt and we would have had _no_ idea where to look for you! What was so important that you had to risk going to Diagon Alley by Floo powder? And on a **_school_**_ night!_"

The last words were said so scandalously, Ron couldn't help but laugh. The sneakoscope still on his mind, he spouted out a tiny, mediocre lie and with much help from Harry, Hermione eventually stopped her harassment.

A few days till Christmas holiday and Ron was getting _very_ nervous. It had become clear to him that his present wasn't the kind he could simply set at the foot of Hermione's bed and forget, no matter how much he would like too. He would have to deliver it in person.

As it happened, all three would be staying at Hogwarts that year-- apparently the Order didn't think it was safe to keep them around. They seemed to be about the only ones to stay, as everyone else was quick to return to their parents in a time of oncoming war. Though Harry and Ron had insisted that Hermione return to her own home, she refused to leave. "There's more to be done," she had said, and that was that.

Of course, Hermione being Hermione, most of whatever it was that had to be done, took place in the library. Though all but a precious few of the staff had headed home, she had somehow pushed and shoved until the library was allowed to stay open. The worry that some troublesome kids would wreak havoc on the small room was forgotten. Hermione was the _only_ one who was _ever _there.

And such was the case Christmas Eve, as Ron finally gathered the courage to talk to her. Though the library was completely empty, she had chosen the darkest corner of the room to sit in, leaning protectively over her books as if someone intended to steal them or the secrets they held. Ron hid a laugh, knowing that it was six years with Harry and himself that had instilled this instinctive secrecy in her.

She remained too absorbed in whatever she was reading to notice the lanky redhead nervously approaching, breathing and heart beat increasing with every step he took. When he spoke, he did everything he could to sound "cool." "Hermione-it's Christmas Eve and you're alone…in the library. Do you see anything wrong with this picture?"

Hermione looked up with a smile. "Hello, Ron."

He pulled up a chair next to her. "That's not an answer."

She sighed, eyes back on the tiny words of her large book. "Unfortunately for us, evil doesn't take any holidays. I think it's very important that we stock up on all the information we can, no matter what time of year."

"But isn't that what makes us the good guys?" Ron questioned, fiddling idly with something, like he did whenever he said something meaningful. "We're the good guys because we _do_ take holidays. Because love, hope, peace, friendship…_goodness_ are what Christmas is all about…and they're what we're supposed to be fighting for. But what's the use of fighting for something, if we can't appreciate it when it's most important?"

She closed her book with a sigh, shaking her head slightly. "Sometimes you really amaze me Ron." She gave a fond smile, causing chills to run up and down Ron's back. "You're right. I can study tomorrow." She stood up with intentions of heading back to Gryffindor common room and celebrating with her two friends, but was stopped midway by Ron's hand on her arm.

"Wait!" he had exclaimed without thinking.

"What is it Ron?" Hermione asked, looking very concerned.

Once again, her soft brown eyes pierced him and he lost his nerve.

"No-nothing.." he sighed sadly.

"YOU DISGUST ME!! LIAR!!! I KNOW YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE! LIAR! THIEF! BEGGAR! DIE, BURN, ROT FOR YOUR FLITHY LIES! YOU DO NOT KNOW THE WRATH OF THE JUST!"

Hermione and Ron looked equally shocked, both shuffling through their robes, trying to find the source of the noise. Ron was busy wondering how Fred and George had managed to slip the sneakoscope in his pocket when Hermione produced a quill set from beneath the table.

"Silenco!" she yelled at it, wand pointed.

"AND NOW YOU TRY TO SILENCE ME!? I WILL **_NOT_** BE SILENCED! THE TRUTH IS THE LOUDEST VOICE OF ALL, YOU SCOUNDRELS!"

"IT _ISN'T_ NOTHING!" Ron yelled, just loud enough to shut the damned thing off while (hopefully) keeping Hermione in the dark.

"Where did you get that?" Ron asked accusingly.

"Those brothers of yours, of course," Hermione scoffed. "They said it was to makeup for slipping that Slacks serum into my drink over the summer. Then they jinx it to scream insults. I should have known." She sighed, looking down regretfully at the three quills and three, tiny porcelain ink pots. "It's a shame. It really is quite lovely, and I've been needing a new set."

Ron's stomach sank. He knew he should have gone with the quill set! As Hermione began poking and prodding the twin's present, Ron knew he would have to speak up. After all, Hermione _was _a _very _clever witch and once she found out her quill set was actually a Weasley lie-detector, she'd be on him like a hound about what he said to have set it off.

"Well, probably would have been best if I did get you a pen set then, ey? Something you could _actually_ use," Ron said, now feeling very angry with himself. "But well-- better just give it to you now, I guess…don't be too disappointed. I was _going_ to get you a book or something but…it's too late now anyway so, here." He fished into one of his large pockets and pulled out a shiny red bag, complete with tinsel and all the works.

"I'm sure it's great Ron," Hermione said sympathetically, "but shouldn't we wait? Your present's still up in my room."

"No," Ron said firmly, "No…best it you just open it and get it over with."

"Alright, then you can have yours when we get back to the commons," she smiled and began slowly making her way through the wrapping. Ron waited anxiously, feeling as though with every rip of the paper, someone pulled a little tighter on the knot in his stomach. Finally, she made it through to the tiny white box and looked once at Ron before opening it.

She was breathless. "_Ron_," she whispered, eyes locked on the shinning, sparkling, necklace before her. It was the most beautiful thing she had _ever_ seen.

"Do you like it?" Ron asked nervously, unsure how to interpret her reaction. "I mean, 'cause if you don't…I can probably take it back, get you something useful like a book or-"

"Ron," she interrupted, still unable to move her eyes from her captured star. "It's _beautiful_."

"Really?!" Ron beamed. "You like it then? It's a star, you know. Zavijah, from the Virgo constellation, suppose to mean 'brilliance.' It…it reminded me of you…" He blushed a bright red.

Hermione moved her tear-filled eyes from the necklace to her redheaded friend. "It's perfect, Ron. I love it." And with that, she threw herself on him, submerging him in a tight hug.

Ron blushed, elated that she had liked it, but knowing the hardest part was yet to come. "Uh…Hermione…" he started, as she still clutched him tightly.

"What is it Ron?" she asked. She let go, looking into his eyes with concern.

"Uh..it…noth-" he started, Hermione's eyes causing him to become flustered once again. However, the sound of Fred and George's sneakoscope blazing in his mind, he knew he would have to tell the truth. "Well, I guess…I have something to tell you…" He took a deep breath, _here goes nothing_.

"What I mean is…I really _do_ think you're brilliant, 'Mione…and not just because you get good marks or get your homework in on time…I think, well, I think _everything_ about you is brilliant really…and to be honest, lately, I've been going crazy thinking about you…and I think that…I…might…like you as a little more then just a friend-"

"YOU SPEAK LIES BOY!!!! YOU ARE-"

"I like you a lot more then a friend!" Ron yelled quickly, blushing. Hermione had glanced down quickly at the shouting quill set, but returned her gaze to Ron, knowing whatever he was building up to must be very important. "In fact, I think…I think…I might…be in love with you."

By now, he was pinker then he had ever been and began mumbling wildly about how it was just fine if she didn't feel the same and of course she could keep the necklace. He'd just figured she'd "'ought to know why" he'd been "acting like such a git." But somewhere in between all the mad rambling, Ron had been stopped abruptly by the feel Hermione's lips on his own.

His eyes opened widely until he realized just what was happening. With indefinable relief, Ron sank into the kiss.

"Oy," he breathed happily. "_That_ was bloody brilliant."

Hermione grinned sheepishly, blushing slightly, "It _was_ quite nice, wasn't it?"

Ron nodded, "Certainly was. Th-think we might have another go?"

Hermione nodded enthusiastically and Ron was only too happy to oblige. He leaned his head down for a second kiss, leaving them both breathless. And in all the excitement and plans rushing threw his head, Ron never forgot the little people, the people who had made this all possible.

And he gave a silent, heartfelt thanks to Fred and George.

_Fin._

AN: Oh well, hope you liked it! :D This one of the few projects I actually did _some_ research on and yes, Zavijah is a real star in the Virgo constellation! :D Something else I found that you might find interesting is after the sun, _Sirius_ is the brightest star in the sky! ;) Coincidence? Probably! -

Reviewers are sprinkled with eternal sunshine! :D

Much love, warmest regards, and best wishes,

Soragirl

"Have you hugged you're author today? Write a review and make one's day! :)"

P.S. As you may have noticed, I have no one to beta-read my fics, meaning bad grammar, lose of flow, random words that I've forgotten to delete. So if anyone out there is looking for a beta-reader as well, I'd love to exchange stories so we can help each other out! :D Just drop me a review if you're interested! Thanks!


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